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Doctors often prescribe drugs with unclear risk of thrombosis
Over half of young women in Germany rely on the birth control pill for contraception. However, the use of the drug sometimes involves a health risk. According to a recent evaluation, doctors prescribe more contraceptives for which the risk of thrombosis has not been clarified.
More than half of the young women are taking the pill
Although it is well known that anti-baby pills can often have serious side effects and that hormone-free alternatives to prevent them are available. Nevertheless, "over half of young women (53%) in Germany between the ages of 14 and 19 use oral contraceptives as contraceptives," reports the Federal Institute for Drugs and Medical Devices (BfArM). "Even in women aged 18 to 49, oral contraceptives are the most common method of contraception." According to the institute, many pills are still prescribed whose risk of thrombosis has not been precisely clarified.
More than every second young woman in Germany is taking the pill. A recent analysis shows that doctors often prescribe contraceptives for which the risk of thrombosis is not clear. (Image: Wolfilser / fotolia.com) Thrombosis risk due to modern anti-baby pills
In recent years, health experts have repeatedly pointed to a high risk of thrombosis by modern anti-baby pills.
In a thrombosis, a blood clot (thrombus) forms in a blood vessel - usually in deep leg or pelvic veins. This blood clot constricts or clogs the vessel, which can result in serious sequelae.
For example, parts of the blood clot that dissolve into the lungs can cause a pulmonary embolism.
An undiscovered thrombosis quickly becomes a mortal danger. In Germany alone, an estimated 100,000 people die each year as a result of venous thrombosis.
What have the measures brought??
In recent years, various measures have been taken in this country to educate about the risk of thrombosis by contraceptives and to minimize this.
For example, Rote-Hand-Brief was sent to all gynecological and primary care practices along with an information card for the patients and a prescription checklist.
In addition, the BfArM has published on its website detailed information on the outcome of the risk assessment process and the resulting measures.
The BfArM recommends that young women and first-time adopters use combined hormonal contraceptives (CHDs) with the lowest risk of thrombosis.
The institute has now had a study investigate what the measures have brought and whether doctors prescribe safer drugs. The prescription behavior was considered before, during and after the risk assessment procedure.
Less drugs prescribed with high risk
As the BfArM reports in the current "Bulletin on Drug Safety", contraceptive prescriptions, which are known to have the highest risk of thromboembolism, have decreased in young women between 10 and 19 years of age.
In this age group, a decline of 53 percent was recorded. Previously, these preparations accounted for 26 percent of total prescriptions, later only 12 percent.
The data sources used for the study were data on female GKV insured persons from the tenth to the completed 20th year of age.
Only for this age group data of the health insurance companies are available, since contraceptives are not recoverable after the completion of the 20. Lebensjahrs by the GKV.
"The population of young women is of particular interest, as young women are the most likely to use CHD for contraception. At the same time, these women are often first-time users, "states the current bulletin.
And: "Especially in mostly healthy, young women, the risk of thrombosis is easily misjudged, a diagnosis may be too late."
Frequently prescribed drugs with unknown risk
It was also found that over the same period physicians were significantly more likely to use contraceptives of the lowest risk class and drugs of unknown risk.
The proportion of undefined risk pills has risen from 39.5 percent before revaluation to more than 50 percent recently.
It was surprising that even the prescriptions for the pills with a risk that was not yet known were increasing significantly. As long as no further data are available on the clear classification of thrombosis risk, the BfArM does not want to make a recommendation. (Ad)